Assessment of marine environment by study of textural characteristics of the surface Sediments of a tropical mangrove ecosystem Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, India: A GIS approach

Abstract

Mangroves in Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, India have been studied for grain size spectrum and textural parameters namely phi mean, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis. In general, grain size spectrum shows a marked variation in the upstream riverine input stretch. Observation shows that variation of energy conditions is controlled by the fluvial profile in the channel. Fluctuation in the physico-chemical environment results seems to alter the textural pattern prevailing in the system. Textural analysis of the very fine sand to fine sand shows comparatively low energy condition in the fluvial and mangrove creek zones. A GIS approach reveals one of the prevailing condition i.e. topography, which influences the textural variability in the surface sediment.